Thomas Fire Destroys Ventura Home

Homeowner Mike Connor and his family safely evacuated their home, but the Thomas Fire completely destroyed the place they once called home. Patrick Healy reports for the NBC4 News on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. (Published Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017)

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Fueled by fierce fast winds and tinder dry conditions, the Thomas Fire burned hillsides in Ventura County for a third day Wednesday, scorching 55,000 acres, prompting tens of thousands of evacuations, destroying 150 structures, jumping through the 101 Freeway and prompting a state of emergency.

"The prospects for containment are not good," said Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen.

The fire, burning just south of Thomas Aquinas College, killed a family pet and injured a firefighter. The college issued a fire alert Monday around 8 p.m. and evacuated all students to nearby homes as a precaution.

Dr. Bob Pazen watched his hillside house burn from a safe distance Tuesday off Foothill Road. He wasn't sad. He put the destruction into perspective.

More than 50,000 homes were evacuated and 20,000 people remained without power Tuesday. That figure was down from 200,000 customers who were in the dark Monday night because of transmission line problems associated with the fire.

At least 150 structures were damaged, according to the fire department. One of those was the Vista del Mar Hospital, an 83-bed mental health facility at 801 Seneca St. All patients were evacuated safely, but the majority of buildings were left to be nothing but smoking husks. The apartments on the skirts of the facility had not yet been threatened by 6 a.m.

"Oh my god, just devastation for these people," said Leticia Broida, an employee. "The whole hospital is gone."

Mandatory evacuations were ordered for west Ventura shortly before 1 a.m., Tuesday. Multiple homes and buildings were reportedly burned in the area and palm trees were on flames behind Ventura City Hall.

Officials issued another mandatory evacuation just before 11:30 p.m., Tuesday for beach communities along the 101 Freeway from Highway 33 to Bates Road in Ventura County.

Due to the intensity of the blaze, fire crews were reportedly having difficulties accessing the burned areas.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office advised residents to go to vcemergency.com for the most up-to-date information.

While red flag warnings are now scheduled to expire Friday, "long range computer models are showing the possibility that the Santa Ana winds could persist into Friday or Saturday, which may require the extension of the red flag warning," according to an NWS statement.

Patrick Healy, Gordon Tokumatsu and City News Service contributed to this report.